Living Beyond the Band

I'm in the process of trying to move the blog over to Word Press and change the name to fit my life a little better now.  Some thought are: Patti's Place or Patricia's Ponderings.  Or something along those lines, since I want to just write about my life, and not so much about having weight loss surgery.  My life is so much better now and there are so many things going on that it is hard to keep just writing about the one thing.  I would like to incorporate it all into my blog.  Maybe then I will write more often!!!

Also, this awesome person that I have met on Twitter is having a wonderful give away, and I really want to win it, so maybe I can start making some money from blogging!  Wouldn't that be so very nice!!!  Her name is Vanita, and you can check out her blog here.  If you want to enter the give away, but not have a chance of winning because you know I am going to win!! LOL you can enter here. Custom WordPress Theme Design

My dear friend Melissa gave me this idea, it is called Just Write. Just get it out there, what you saw, felt, experienced that day.  So, here goes...

She gets me every time.  No matter how hard I try to blow it off, she gets me.  I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.  I'm a horrible selfish person that always puts me first.  I just don't get it.  I should be so used it by now, you would think in 40 years, I would be right!  She builds me up, just to tear me down and takes advantage of every chance she can to do it!

I'm so proud of myself for trying to complete my Master's Degree after 11 years.  I took some serious time off to have kids, kids which I do recall 11 years ago I was never having.  But, after much pressure from her, I caved!  So, this is finals week, I have 4 freaking days to complete my finals, they open them on Sunday afternoon and they have to be complete by Thursday.  Who the hell will wait until Thursday to do it, not me!  I did that last semester and it totally sucked.  So, I mentioned to her that I was going to work with Joey on his book report that is due in November when I was finished with my final.  Damn if that wasn't the wrong thing to do.  She tore me up!  "Your this, Your that, it is always you.  When are you ever going to put your kids first."  I felt like yelling at her, "when did you ever help me with my homework?"  "NEVER" Because she was never home! And even if she were, she wouldn't have helped because it was MY homework not HERS!

Then she brings up the scrap booking! I go out with my friends one day a month to scrapbook, and I usually end up making her a book!  She does nothing but complain that I never spend time with my kids because I'm out with my friends all the time! One day out of 30 is all the time!  So, Sunday I took the girls out shopping, just me and them.  We had a great day! Hit the mall, got some cute clothes at PS Aeropostale which now carries their size! And of course Build A Bear (which I heard about), and lunch and a ride on the merry go round! On the way home we hit a farm for some apple cider doughnuts and a sugar free pie for my daddy!  I of course got her some doughnuts! As soon as we walked in the house she started about the damn bears!  what did you buy those for, they have enough of those, what a waste of money, blah. blah, blah!  I just said, they were very good, and I wanted them to have them.  So, of course she makes me feel like shit for treating my girls to a good day! Oh and the CUTE jacket that I got myself at Gap, HAS to go back because ti cost $70.  You shouldn't spend that much money on yourself.  UM, I just lost 100 freaking pounds, I do not have a jacket that fits me, but I will take it back and go to Good Will!

I'm so stuck, I want to move so far away or tell her how I feel, but I can't.  She is our babysitter and we already have gone through this so many times of her walking out.  I cannot afford full time daycare for the girls, and they do not start full time kindergarten until next year!  I am just going to have to suck it up and deal!  It's times like this I wish I didn't have this tiny tummy cause I could use a good binge right about now!!

I cannot believe that it has been a year already!  My how time flies when you are healthy and living your life to the fullest.  My blog has been taking a back seat to life, I have so much energy that I do not have time to sit and write about what I have been up to.  In the past year I have made it to my goal of a Normal BMI which for my height is 141 pounds.  I am actually below that right now and would like to get down to 135.  I am now into a size 6 jeans for everyday wear, but can get into a size 4.  As for eating, I can comfortably eat about 3 oz of solid protein per meal, with about 1 oz of veggies (sometimes).  I can eat about a cup of soup, about 1/2 cup of yogurt, a piece of toast, 1/4 of a bagel, and lots of stuff I really shouldn't eat.  The best thing about the sleeve is that I NEVER throw up, as I did with the band.  I never get sick either, I love my sleeve.  It is such an amazing tool as opposed to the horrible experience that I had with the Band.

Life is good now, the kids are getting older and we are having fun!  Amazing things happen when you are at a healthy weight and can move normally again.

Here is my before!

Hey all, had a wonderful weekend! Went to Sesame Place with the hubby and the kiddies! Walked around all day in a bathing suit and felt AWESOME! Then went to Cracker Barrel for dinner and hubby said I ate like a somewhat normal human being! He was proud of me! I had brisket (the best), and a few fries! It was really good! 

Sunday, my parents and I took the kids to the outlets to get them Crocs for vacation, and I ate a bunch of crap, but that is ok! I felt great and got some awesome clothes at GREAT prices! At the GAP outlet, I got 3 sun dresses in size M for 60% the marked down price, and they all looked great on me! my hubby cried when I put them on for him! when we were in HS, the only time he saw me in a dress was at Prom or when I was cheering! And I got a pair of short shorts in a size 8! they are a bit big, probably could have gotten a 6, but didn't really feel like trying them on, the place was a mad house!! I'm ok with the 8, my son said I looked like my 15 year old nieces!! And when we are rocking the roller coasters in Busch Gardens in 12 days the 8 will feel great! And I got 2 pair of Jammies in a size S!!!!

Mom gave me a great idea for the sun dresses this morning and I think I'm going to go for it! I have the saggy boobie problem, you all know breast feeding 3 kids then loosing so much weight, i totally cannot go bra less, so have to do something!! so she said to just go get a bikini top and wear it under the dresses and everyone will think I just have a bathing suit on! no need for a bra!! Brilliant! Love that woman!!!

Let me tell you all! I never in my life even LIKED to go shopping for clothes, even when i was a size 9 in HS, wore jeans and tshirts all the time! I am now a total shopping nut! I love trying on clothes! I feel so pretty now! I even got my hair cut again! I LOVE MY SLEEVE and everything that it has done for me, I don't even care that I miss some food! if i want to try something a bite is all i need and i'm over it so fast! it si such a great feeling!!! 

Oh and I'm only 5 pounds away from GOAL!!!!!

Ok that was long winded!!! Have a great day! i'm going to!! 

Wow, it is already the end of January.  So much for posting more often.  I guess life just gets in the way.  So, life with my sleeve is AMAZING!!  I totally cannot believe how easy it really is, no throwing up, no foods getting stuck, no sliming, and best of all no foods are off limits!  It really is a whole new world.  I totally wish this was around before I got my band, I would have done this in a heartbeat.  Although, I am not sad that I got my band, it made me appreciate the little things in life, like keeping food down for more than an hour! LOL  And getting those 50+ initial pounds off.

So, as of now, I'm just over 3 months out from my revision surgery.  I am down 43.9 pounds and have lost over 30 inches total.  That is pretty damn good.  I am now lower than I was with my band, and my smallest jeans (size 10) are getting baggy on me!  I am wearing a medium top, yes that is right a medium! I haven't worn a medium since high school over 20 years ago! And I am wearing one of mom's old heavy leather coats that is also a medium.  I cannot justify buying another winter coat, I have 2 new ones that are just looking 2 big now, but hey they will make someone very happy next winter!

My new goal for my blog is to post at least once per week on weigh in day which is Thursday!  This way I can keep updates on my weigh ins, and when I do measurements keep them up here too!  Oh and if I feel the need to have to scream about something, this lets me do it in more than 140 characters!

So, Ta Ta for now!

So, I know that I have been totally blowing off my blog!  My New Years Resolution is to pay more attention to it!  I have moved my platform over to Blogger so that maybe I can blog from my iPad, or while on break at work.  Who knows, maybe I will never get time to take a break at work.  Starting a new project that seems to be very busy!!

So, let me do a little catch up here:
I have since July 8, 2010 NOT had a Lap-Band! YUP that sucker is GONE!!!  I wanted them to do a revision right then, but of course, my insurance DENIED it!  So, then I was band less and getting FAT all over again.  One day while driving to BeautiU (more on this later) I was talking to mom about how down I was to be gaining all my weight back.  I mentioned to her about all the research I had been doing about going to Mexico to get a sleeve.  I just needed to re-mortgage my house to pay for it!! Or pray that my bonus in March would be enough!

Long story, MOM lent me the MONEY!!!!!  Oh how excited I was!  Right away, I started doing research on what Dr to use in Mexico.  Should I go cheap, or go with the guy who has a great record.  MOM said go for the guy with the great record, I only have one life!!!

Fast forward (literally) to Oct 15, and mom and I are in Mexicali and I'm getting my sleeve by Dr Aceves.  I am so happy that I have my mommy there with me, and she was extremely impressed with both the Dr and the hospital and the entire staff of Dr Aceves.

So, now it is December 2nd, and I am currently down 26 #s and 17 inches (8 from my waist)!  I am totally loving my life with my sleeve, and only wish I had done this first and NEVER had that DAMN band!!!

Until Next Time!!